But oh my god, those eyes…
The second I saw the storm in Harvey’s eyes, my whole world turned upside down. That was also when Rick grabbedmy arm to steady me before I could trip over my own feet. His touch instantly reminded me of every bad decision I’ve ever made—including him.
Harvey saw Rick’s hand on me, and the pain that flashed in his eyes nearly brought me to my knees. Guilt sat heavily on my chest when I begged him to keep his distance… for now. It was only fair until I could talk to Rick and set things straight.
I was shocked when Harvey didn’t demand an explanation or direct his frustration at me. Instead, he accepted that I needed time to adjust to my new reality. His thoughtfulness only drove the knife of guilt deeper into my heart.
After surveying the exits to make sure all the party people were accounted for, Harvey returned to his seat beside me and breathed out, “So the warrior—Rick,he’s your boyfriend?”
The question catches me off guard, but I should’ve known Harvey would want answers. It doesn’t matter how I explain it; he’s going to be upset. I don’t know what I’ll do if Harvey thinks I’m a whore for being with someone instead of waiting for my mate.
How am I supposed to make this man, who I just met, believe that I genuinely never thought someone was made for me? Rick never trusts a word out of my mouth, and I’ve been with him for two years.
“I’m so sorry—”
“No need for apologies, darling. I’m not interested in who came before me. But I need to know… are you going to reject the bond?”
“No!” Harvey’s stern expression softens at my panic, and I relax a little. “I thought I didn’t have a mate because I’m human. Rick was convinced I didn’t.”
Harvey’s lips turn downward, and my chest tightens at the sight, so I quickly add, “But I always wanted one. I’m not rejecting the bond.Never.I’ll talk to Rick. I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Will he, though?
The thought of telling Rick about Harvey makes my heartrace. My mind flashes back to the time he was so blinded by rage that he didn’t realize he was hurting me. This time, I’m giving him something to be mad about.
As if Harvey can see my fear breaking through my false calm, he takes my hand and holds it over his knee, offering me a warm, encouraging smile that melts my insides and makes me curse every day I lived without it.
When I was choking earlier, and Harvey patted my back, I almost got electrocuted from our first touch. It’s bittersweet that it won’t happen every time.
Nevaeh never mentioned the spark being literal. But now that I think about it, she was so out of it when she first met Anxo that I don’t think she even felt it. I bet if I ask Anxo, he’d have a different story.
“Don’t worry, darling. I’ve waited years for my mate. I can wait a few more hours… or days.”
My face heats at the endearment, but I nod, determined to sort out my mess before my stupid decisions hurt my mate any more.
“Now tell me everything I’ve missed.”
I clear my throat and try to pull my hand, but Harvey only tightens his grip. There’s a hint of plea in his eyes, and I know that he needs this. So I flip my hand and let him entwine our fingers to hold them over his heart.
“Let’s start with the basics. You already know the previous leaders combined the kingdoms—Nevaeh told us it was your dream, so I bet you’re excited about that.”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “Horseman of Conquer said theTetrad kingdomwas waiting for me. I’m guessing we rebranded?”
“Oh yes. We still have the four individual kingdoms, but now we present ourselves as one unified dynasty to the mythical world. When they moved from the human realm—really sorry about the shift, by the way—they had to build portals…”
I felt horrible for purposely avoiding anything aboutHarvey’s parents, but Anxo had made it clear he didn’t want anyone touching that conversation. It feels like I’m betraying my mate by keeping it from him, but we promised Anxo we’d let him handle this.
I know how crucial it is to have Harvey in our corner before Nevaeh finds out what we’re hiding. When that day comes, she’ll need her best friend more than any of us.
I don’t know how long we sat there talking, but by the end, I’d shared all the important facts about the kingdom. And Harvey was patient the entire time. He listened to every word with genuine curiosity and waited until I finished a topic before asking questions. He even asked how Hazel and I came into the picture.
The whole time, I couldn’t help but think how refreshing it is to talk to Harvey. Where Harvey talkswithme, Rick talksatme.
Rick would’ve never let me talk for this long. He thinks my ‘know-it-all’ behavior is annoying, and that being a bookkeeper doesn’t mean I need to yap about everything constantly.
“So, my little human, is there anything else I’m missing?”
I have a love-hate relationship with his nickname for me. Butterflies go wild in my stomach, and I can’t keep my head on straight every time I hear it.
